Launch HTVN was launched in early 2000 following the creation of Hispanic Television Network, Inc. from the merger of Hispano Television Ventures, Inc. and English-language network
American Independent Network, Inc. (AIN), both of Fort Worth. While the new company owned both HTVN and AIN, it focused the majority of its attention on HTVN. The network's facilities were all-digital and state-of-the-art.
Success The new network expanded rapidly, and by March 2000, appeared on 25 television stations, including those in top-10 Hispanic markets
Los Angeles,
Dallas,
Phoenix,
San Antonio and
Brownsville, Texas. By June 2000, HTVN had announced deals with
Yahoo! to broadcast network programming on the Internet, and with
Mexinema and
Excalibur Media Group to give HTVN the rights to over 500 Mexican-made, Spanish-language movies. It was now on nearly 60 television stations, including full-service flagship station
KLDT in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Including cable coverage, HTVN reached over 20 million homes. By the end of the year, HTVN had added full-service
KJLA in the Los Angeles market and had partnered with Mexican broadcasting giant
MVS Television, providing the network access to MVS' state-of-the-art production facilities and talent base, allowing HTVN to produce programming in the United States, which was scarce at that time.
Decline The rapid growth proved to be costly, however, as HTVN's owners reported a 14,492% increase in expenses from first quarter 1999 to first quarter 2000, no doubt the bulk of it from launching the new network. Furthermore, the network did not produce nearly sufficient revenues to cover expenses and their owners announced a $38 million loss for 2000 against only $620,955 in revenue. By 2002, HTVN had all but abandoned its over-the-air strategy and was turning its attention to mostly cable distribution. Still, the network was not bringing in sufficient revenue to cover its expenses, and despite its owners' attempts to acquire revenue from other sources, they filed for
Chapter 11 reorganization in July 2002. In early 2003, Hispanic Television Network, Inc. sold its cable agreements to Hispanic children's network,
¡Sorpresa! and on July 10, 2003, HTVN formally ceased operations. ==Stations that carried the network==